Sparging adapter

Abstract

A liquid dispensing vessel having an air space above the liquid near the top of the vessel has a fluid pump with a suction inlet and a pressure outlet. The pump is operable in a first mode to pump liquid and in a second mode to pump air. There is a first conduit coupling the suction inlet and liquid near the bottom of the vessel, a second conduit coupling the suction inlet and the air space above the liquid near the top of the vessel, a third conduit coupling the pressure outlet to a dispensing device, and a fourth conduit coupling the pressure outlet to liquid near the bottom of the vessel. A valving arrangement is effective to block both the second and fourth conduits for operating the pump in the first mode, and to open the second and fourth conduits for operating the pump in the second mode. The valving arrangement is preferably formed by valves in the second and fourth conduits and an arrangement which is common to the two valves for contemporaneous opening and closing both valves.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A liquid containing vessel having an air space above the liquid near the top of the vessel; a fluid pump having a suction inlet and a pressure outlet, the pump being operable in a first mode to pump liquid and in a second mode to pump air;   a first conduit coupling the suction inlet and liquid near the bottom of the vessel;   a second conduit coupling the suction inlet and the air space above the liquid near the top of the vessel;   a third conduit coupling the pressure outlet to a dispensing device;   a fourth conduit coupling the pressure outlet to liquid near the bottom of the vessel; and   valve means operable to block both the second and fourth conduits for operating the pump in the first mode, and to open the second and fourth conduits for operating the pump in the second mode.   
     
     
       2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the valve means comprises a valve in the second conduit, a valve in the fourth conduit, and means common to the two valves for contemporaneous actuating the two valves. 
     
     
       3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the valve means further includes means for temporarily partially disabling the means for actuating the two valves whereby the fourth valve may be actuated while the second valve remains closed. 
     
     
       4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the valve means comprises a valve in the second conduit, a valve in the fourth conduit, operator actuable means common to the two valves for contemporaneous opening and closing of the two valves to change between a fluid dispensing mode and an air recirculating mode, and means for partially disabling the operator actuable means so that only the valve in the fourth conduit is opened and closed by operator actuation to change between a fluid dispensing mode and a liquid recirculating mode. 
     
     
       5. The method of dispensing liquid which requires mixing from a liquid containing vessel having an air space above the liquid near the top of the vessel comprising the steps of; recurrently pumping air from the air space above the liquid to a location near the bottom of the vessel beneath the liquid level to agitate and mix the liquid and any particulate matter which may be present; and   pumping liquid from a location near the bottom of the vessel beneath the liquid level for dispensing and utilization of the liquid at a time when air is not being pumped from the air space.   
     
     
       6. The method of claim 5 wherein the steps of recurrently pumping air and pumping liquid are performed using the same pumping device. 
     
     
       7. The method of dispensing liquid from a liquid containing vessel comprising the steps of; utilizing a pumping device to repeatedly pump air to a location near the bottom of the vessel beneath the liquid level to agitate and mix the liquid; and   utilizing the same pumping device to pump liquid from a location near the bottom of the vessel beneath the liquid level for dispensing and utilization of the liquid at a time when air is not being pumped from the air space.   
     
     
       8. The method of claim 7 wherein the vessel has an air space above the liquid near the top of the vessel and the air which is repeatedly pumped to the location near the bottom of the vessel is obtained from the air space above the liquid.